A Noble Heart's Desire
by Adrien Celsius
Summary: No one can truly tell you who to love. Status or breeding means little to those who share such emotions. One, a proud noblewoman. The other, a man with no past, no power, and no influence. Who will take the first step and cross the boundary that separates their social classes? Or is such a love never meant to be...?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: By popular demand, this is a fic about the relationship between Fire Emblem: Awakening's Avatar(Robin) and Maribelle. Similar to my previous fic, Love and Dragonstones, I also have not seen very much... actually, none at all... of these two. As such I will put just as much effort to make this fic worthwhile for all the fans who made it possible for their continued support. This one's for you, guys!**

**Disclaimer: I do ****_not _****own any of the following characters. All characters belong to Intelligent Systems and Nintendo.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_Ylisstol_

The streets had started to clear themselves from the massive population of people that crowded the cobblestone streets just minutes before, as the Exalt of the realm, Emmeryn, older sister to the prince Chrom and princess Lissa, made her weekly visitation to greet the townsfolk. The prince made his way, also extending his greetings to his loyal subjects, with two new recruits to his band of private retainers. One was an archer named Virion who came during their time of need in the forest just north of Southtown, while the other was a young man, no older than Chrom himself, that he had found lying on the roadside leading to Southtown just the other day. He was of fair height and skin tone, with unusually silver hair, wearing only a cotton beige shirt and tan pantaloons held in place by a large black belt, all wrapped in a dark coat, complete with a small hood. He claimed his name was Robin, but nothing much else came to him. He had no idea where he had come from, where he was going, or even who he was prior to Chrom finding him. Were it not for his gift for tactics that helped pull Chrom and his small company through the assault on Southtown and the ambush in the forest, he probably would have been left behind. Luckily, the good prince had taken note of his excellent strategic abilities and took him on as the official tactician of his band of soldiers, which he called the Shepherds.

Robin walked nervously through the streets of Ylisstol accompanying Chrom, Lissa, and their guardian, Frederick. The man was a bit skittish, having just realized that Chrom was royalty just moments ago. Even if his memories were wiped clean, he still held onto his manners and common sense. Although the formalities were politely put down by Chrom, who was never one for them anyway. It helped to ease the confused man's heart as he hoped he had not offended the good prince on their short journey together.

The group weaved through the dense crowd, making their way to the palace that sat towering above the town at its edge. Silently marveling at the large structure, Robin walked a bit slowly behind the other five, still taking in the sheer size of it compared to the quaint buildings that seemed commonplace up until now. Seeing as how his new friends wouldn't wait up for him, he caught up to the group, passing the gates and entered the palace.

The interior was even more marvelous than what was seen outside. Luxurious red carpeting was sprawled neatly in the center of the large hall that they walked into. The room hall itself was quite expansive. It was hard to believe the palace was this large on the inside. Lissa periodically looked over her shoulder to see Robin looking from place to place. She couldn't help but giggle subtly at his sheer curiosity. It was like a child realizing the world around him for the first time. Although, upon retrospect, she should have expected it, what with the amnesia. The four walked all the way to the throne room, and Robin was so absored in the sights of the grand building that he didn't realize he was soon standing face-to-face with Exalt Emmeryn.

Correcting himself, Robin solemnly bowed to his knees in respect for someone of such high authority. The gentle Exalt smiled softly at the generous gesture of this new stranger. She turned her attention to her kin and greeted them, as she always did when they returned home. The siblings went onto discussing the current situation of the Halidome and its neighboring country of Plegia, explaining the skirmish that took place in Southtown. The discussion came to a close on the subject of Robin and his part in all this. Chrom concluded that he was a sizable help and was taking him on as the Shepherds tactician.

"Then, if this man has your trust, Chrom, I shall leave him in your care" The Exalt's gentle gaze then turned to the tactician in question. "I wish to also extend my personal gratitude. Ylisse owes you a debt, and please don't concern yourself with formality. Please rise." Robin rose to his feet, though still with his head respectfully bowed to her. "You are too kind, milady. I only did what I believed what had to be done."

"Well, now that we've got all that settled," Lissa chimed in, "follow me, Robin! I've got something I really want to show you!" The upbeat princess held Robin by the hand and ran through the palace, with him struggling to keep up with her at first. Their little trip took them through many parts of the palace, including the courtyards and training grounds until they arrived at a more secluded part of the building. This particular room was somewhat like a meeting room. Large and wide open with a curving roof and red drapes adorning the open windows. Crates of unknown supplies and plenty of Vulnerary bottles were strewn about and a map of the continent was pinned to the back wall.

"Welcome to the Shepherd's garrison!" Lissa proudly announced with outstretched arms. The small gathering of people who happened to be around turned their attention from each other to Lissa, and the new arrival. One of them was a burly sort, with rippling muscles and for whatever reason, not wearing a shirt. The other was a woman, who seemed meek upon first appearances as she seemed to back away from the unfamiliar face and nervously hold her hands close to her chest. Robin couldn't help but notice the adorable wing ornaments that were perched on the back of her head, yet fanned out just above it. Another person was at the back of the garrison, away from the two, who Robin noticed she was pacing back and forth, nervously twisting her parasol between her palsm, but the moment the two walked in, she ran right towards them.

In preparation for her companions' inevitable charge, Lissa held her arms out to greet her blonde-haired friend. "Lissa, my treasure! I've been on pins and needles!" she squealed as she tightly embraced the young princess. "Honestly, darling, I've grown 14 gray hairs fretting over your safe return!" The woman even made a point to lift her hair that covered her forehead, showing that she had indeed sprouted one or two graying follicles. Nothing so accurate as 14 of them, but her point was made. "Oh, hi M-Maribelle!" Lissa stammered, struggling a bit from the tight grip. "You worry a bit too much though. I can handle a few battles as long as I'm with Chrom... and can you let me go now?"

Lissa managed to free herself from her friend's death-grip on her and Moved behind Robin, forcefully pushing him closer to his new comrades-in-arms. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to our newest member, Robin!" she announced. The three looked at their new recruit and really, no one gave any outstanding reactions to it. Robin figured it was probably because the group must recruit new members quite often, though if that were the case, it was odd to see the current garrison as empty as it was. "Gee guys, don't all act so hospitable at once..." Lissa mocked. "Anyway, Chrom's appointing Robin as our new tactician. You should SEE this guy at work! He's a good swordsman, and he can use magic, too! Oh, and of course, he came up with a few strategies that pulled us through just fine on our trip!"

The blonde woman, named Maribelle so said by Lissa, took in the presence of the rookie tactician. He wore nothing too uncommon and he had no noble bearing. Obviously, he was of some garden variety lowborn status. However, if he could develop strategies that, as proven, could guarantee victory, surely he was worth her time. The burly looking fellow stepped up and eyed Robin, and after a while, a crooked grin formed on his face. "Oh yeah? Well I'll bet this guy ain't as talented as ol' Teach!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, so you're _'Teach' _now, Vaike?" Lissa scoffed. "Just wait 'til you see Robin in action! Maybe he'll teach _you _a thing or two!"

"Oh, 'zat so? Well, I'll be he cant do this!" Leaning his head back, Vaike let loose quite a loud belch, looking quite triumphant afterward. He had to waft the scent of whatever it was he ate, but the display actually made Robin warm up to him, rather than disgust him. At first glance, one would think Vaike would be a no-nonsense bruiser, but such small quirks like the one he had shown eased the wall Robin had when seeing these new people. "Well, I'm sure I have plenty to learn in the belching arts, Teach!" Robin said, humoring the man.

The opposite effect, however took hold on Maribelle. She cringed at the repulsive manners Vaike showcased, especially in front of new company. Her opinion of Robin certainly went down, lower than it already was, with the way he practically asked to learn such disgusting practices. "Ugh, Vaike, that was absolutely _horrid_! Why must you lowborn mongrels befoul even the air around you? Have some bloody decency!" she scolded before turning her attention. "And you! Robin, do NOT encourage such pitiful behavior! I've barely known you for a minute, and yet, I cannot help but be disappointed. I would have hoped you were cut from finer cloth than that! Good day to the lot of you. I've other businesses to attend to." she said, turning and walking out of the garrison.

Robin his head in confusion at the sudden, violent outburst Maribelle had. He wasn't aware that he did anything wrong, yet she had made him feel like a child that had disobeyed its parents with that sharp tongue that she pierced him with. The other female of the group nervously walked up to Robin and sympathetically patted his shoulder. "Don't take it to heart, Robin. Maribelle just... makes friends with people slower than others. If you give her time, she'll probably warm up to you." she said.

"Or burn too quickly~." Lissa deadpanned. "But, Sumia's right. Just give her a while and you two will probably be good friends in no time."

"Well, she does have quite a fire about her." Robin said. "Oh well, I suppose time will tell if we're meant to be friends then."

* * *

**A/N: And here we have the pilot for the MUxMaribelle story. To be honest, I totally saw this from the start! I guess a lot of people really enjoyed the love triangle thing I pulled off in LaD and wanted to see an 'alternate choice'? Or maybe they just enjoyed her character. I dunno. I'm not an expert. That aside, I hope you guys enjoy this one. And please continue to critique and review as you see fit.**

**Fun Fact: The character designer for No More Heroes also worked on the character designs for Fire Emblem: Awakening. Having that in mind, doesn't Maribelle look oddly similar to Bad Girl? I nearly dropped my 3DS when I first saw her way back in March when I first bought the game and imagined her bludgeoning Plegians with a flaming parasol (If you played No More Heroes, you'd understand. :P ). This being said, I also think Brady looks a LOT like Travis Touchdown. Scary, isn't it?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Palace Ylisstol _

The Shepherds were returning from their short trip to Regna Ferox to discuss and request some troops to help with the border defenses. The numerous bandit attacks from Plegia were really beginning to chip away at Ylissean front lines, and the Exalt refused to contract citizens for the army. Fortunately, with the help of Chrom's small army, the newly instated Regnant Khan of Ferox, Flavia gladly supplemented Ylisse with Feroxi soldiers to assist them with invading Plegians. This all being said and done, Chrom was still growing more and more agitated at the obvious attempts of war being instigated by Plegia's reigning King, Gangrel.

In the Shepherd's base of operation, the group gathered together, relaxing after their encounters at Ferox and subsequent participation in the Arena battle. More of the group than what Robin saw on his first trip here had grown substantially in numbers. The resident Mage of the group, Miriel and Stahl, a knight in service to House Ylisse just like Sully also caught up with them on their way to Ferox. There was another fellow. For whatever reason, Robin couldn't remember his name, but he was sure he saw him very briefly during the battle at the Feroxi gates. He hadn't seen him since. No one even spoke of this person afterwords, so he figured it may have just been his imagination.

Walking to the back of the baracks, Robin looked upon the shelf that semed stocked with many books. All organized by author and subject. Miriel was probably to thank for. She sat just to the side on a chair, cross-legged and reading a complicated book that Robin couldn't make heads or tails of by all the arcane symbols and shapes printed in its pages. Seeking to advance his tactical mind, he reached for the books that held the information he desired and began reading. Though, no sooner had he aquired the book was he interrupted. Chrom walked up from behind the strategist waving his hand in greeting.

"Amazing work today, Robin. I am very impressed! That strategy to pair up in battle was ingenious!" he praised. Robin smiled a little. He was quite proud that he thought of it. Before today, he had never even read a tactical treatise. He only came up with the 'pair up' system on the fly, so to speak. "Thanks. Although if anyone deserves credit, I'd say Sumia should get an honorable mention. It was her after all that saved you from becoming a royal pincushion. And if not for the act in itself, I probably would not have come up with that little tactic."

"True. All very true. I guess I'll go and give her a congradulations, and, I'll even give her your good word. She's a fragile girl at times. Maybe some encouragement will have her come out of her shell a bit." said Chrom.

* * *

_Themis_

The streets of Themis were calm this afternoon. The borders may be up in arms keeping the capital and the surrounding areas safe, and Themis was quite close to the border, but the air had a relaxed and calm feel today. Maribelle figured it would be a fine day to walk about town and observe the activities of her fellow citizens. "My, my. Such a peaceful day." she sighed. "Although, I can't help but feel somewhat... bored. Oh, how I do wish something worthwhile would happen today. I daresay, something to get the heart pumping." she mused.

The delicate noblewoman walked dutifully through town, eventually resting on a bench in the streets, parallel to an old sweets shop she used to frequent in her younger years. She reminisced on how her mother would once in a while take her there when she was but a child. Such bygone times brought a bittersweet feel to her heart. It was both the good and bad times of her life. Being the more sheltered noble child, she had problems making friends. Thank the Gods Lissa made an attempt to be friends with her. She feared how lost she would be in the world without someone so wonderful in her life. She twirled her parasol around lazily as she tapped her foot on the cobblestone road. Still nothing exciting happening today... As a matter of fact, _nothing _seemed to be happening today. In all her daydreaming, Maribelle didn't notice how the streets seemed quite empty. An oddity as if nothing else, at least the merchants would be out until the moonlight hours.

She looked to her left and right, wondering where the people could possibly be. Stepping up from her seat, she walked down the underpopulated streets, looking for any life around. She rounded the corner of the market street into the main plaza, and her eyes caught something jarring. In the distance, a large plume of smoke was rising in the air. It was no mistake that it was coming from the direction of the chapel that sat towards the back of the town. Her first instinct told her to simply turn back and head hope, yet her mind could not help but wonder at what was happening. Was this connected to the otherwise empty town? Her feet began moving, almost automatically towards the smoke cloud.

As she drew closer and closer, someone had finally appeared before her. It was a woman who called from the window of her home. "You there! Please return to your home and block the doors and windows! The Plegian's are invading!" she yelled. "Trust me, gal! Go no further and return home!" Before Maribelle could question her on Plegian's once again invading Ylissean soil, the woman slammed her window shut and pulled the curtains close.

Maribelle's heart rate quickened the moment she heard of the Plegian invasion. Taking the woman's advice, Maribelle turned back and headed for her manor. There, she could inform her father of the situation and have him evacuate somewhere safe until she could find a way to notify her fellow Shepherds of this disaster. Among the silent streets, only the sound of Maribelle's shoes hitting the pavement as she ran and her gasping breath were heard. Panic was quickly crawling under her skin as she feared the worst for her father's safety and of the citizens of the town. It seemed like the path to her home was taking an eternity to return to. Maribelle's mind was racked with what those barbaric Plegians could possibly want in this town. What value is there in pillaging Themis? Her thoughts were cut short as she stopped dead in her tracks just facing her home. She could see a sizable amount of the enemy occupying the front gardens of her home.

There was nowhere for her to go without being spotted at this point, and judging from the size of the group that stood at her home, the town would surely be taken within the hour. With silence and caution, Maribelle stepped backwards away from her home. If she was quick enough, she could find a horse at the stables and ride to Ylisstol for safety. As she began to recede, she backed into someone. Turning to see who it was, she looked up to see a dark-skinned woman with chest-length white hair.

"Oh, it looks like daddy's little girl is trying to make a run for it." she said, with an almost sensual tone. "Sorry to say, but you're going to have to come with me, girly. If you stay quiet, you might even keep that pig tailed head on your shoulders." Even if Maribelle wanted to call for help, the sheer terror of what was to become of her stole her very breath away. Taking that as a sign of surrender, the dark woman giggled haughtily, placing her sharpened, black nails over her lips.

* * *

_Palace Ylisstol: Throne Room_

The doors creaked open and in walked Chrom, Frederick, Lissa, and Robin. Moments ago they were informed that urgent news had arrived, and that they, along with the Exalt, must be notified immediately. Once the group was gathered in the throne room, Captain Phila the leader of the royal Pegasus Knights and Emmeryn's private retainer arrived, who had come bearing the news arrived.

"Your Grace, I have terrible news. Plegians have once again invaded Ylisse. This time they attacked the town of Themis and abducted the Duke's daughter!" The news rang heavily through everyone in the room. Robin was not at the same level of shock, but he did realize the danger that was approaching. Lissa clutched her chest as her breathing became erratic. "Th-The Duke's daughter..." she said, "That's Maribelle! Chrom, Emm, we have to get over there and help her!"

It was then that Robin realized the full extent of this emergency, it wasn't just anyone who was kidnapped, but one of the Shepherds. Even more important, Lissa's closest friend. Robin couldn't help but feel the same amount of panic the others did. He wouldn't allow something like this to continue. The captain stood at attention but shook her head at Lissa's demand. "It's no good, milady. They have already deserted Themis and have demanded that the prince himself meet with him in a designated location..."

"It seems that dastard will not stop until we go to war with Plegia... Better I end his reign right now than continue with these foolish raids he constantly invokes on our country..." Chrom said. His fists were clenched at the maddening thought of one of his own Shepherds being used as some sort of bargaining chip. "Fine then. Tell us the time and place, and we will be there. I've had enough of this..."

"Chrom..." spoke Emmeryn as she walked up behind her brother. "I understand your anger, but you must not give in. Should you immediately resort to violence, Ylisse may yet suffer more than what good you intend to bring."

"Then what am I supposed to do, Sister? I cannot allow this disrespect to continue."

Phila then stepped forward. "I'm afraid I must agree with the prince, Your Grace. doing nothing can only go so far... Plegia must know that there are penalties for such actions."

"I know how both of you must feel. But we cannot afford to go to war with another country. Not that I would ever want to, even if we could... This land still bares scars from it's last war, and I'll not allow unnecessary bloodshed... But if you so insist action be taken, then I shall attempt to parley with Gangrel: For I will accompany Chrom."

Silence fell over everyone. Emmeryn herself had voulenteered to go and make peace with their hostile neighbor. She truely did not wish to fight with them. Such a gesture was quite admirable indeed. One that Chrom would not turn down. "Very well Emm... We'll go and see them together, and let's hope that we can persuade Gangrel away from conflict..."

* * *

The grounds of the 'summit' that the royal family was set to meet straddled the border between Plegia and Ylisse. The terrain was mountainous, rocky, and overall a rough landscape to be in. Robin was suspicious of this King Gangrel. The way Chrom had portrayed him, he sounded like an unscrupulous man. If it were true, then the surrounding area was a perfect place to launch some sort of sneak attack. As a growing tactician, it certainly was not out of the realm of possibility. He scanned the surrounding area looking for either some sort of hidden enemy, or Maribelle herself. The Pegasus Knight Captain did say she was held hostage, so she was very likely nearby. He could tell she would be around for negotiation purposes, but for the moment, she was nowhere to be seen.

As the group, accompanied by Chrom's Shepherds, wound about the many rocky hills, the prince and Exalt finally came face-to-face with the tyrant himself. Robin looked upon the face of the so called "Mad" King for the first time, and for first impressions, he was certainly skeptical, and for good reason. The tall, red-haired man stood atop a rock looking down on the party that stood before him with a smug sense of superiority. His present company was a scantily clad woman dressed in black with matching feathers comprising the collar of her otherwise revealing outfit.

"Well, well. Isn't this a wondrous surprise? I expected the prince, and yet his royal big sister has come as well. Such an honor!" the man laughed. That cocky tone nearly made Chrom flare up and demand the return of his companions, but Emmeryn stepped forward before he could make any rash actions that both of them would likely regret. "King Gangrel, we've heard that an Ylissean is in your custody. Does this ring true?" she asked.

The impish Plegian king clicked his sharp nails together, maintaining a somewhat gleeful smile on his face. The darkly dressed woman behind Gangrel stepped forward in Gangrel's stead to answer. "It is, Your Grace. We caught one of your spies trying to sneak across our Plegian borders. I must say, that's quite dishonorable from a region that claims to love peace." Emmeryn turned her attention to Gangrel's company. "Forgive me, but who might you be?"

The buxom woman ran her black nails through her contrasting white hair and spoke, "You may call me Aversa. And now that we've gotten to know each other, would you care to inform us of your little spy over there?" She pointed to a cliff just beside their current location where Maribelle had been restrained by the hands with rope and accompanied by a Plegian soldier brandishing a dangerously sharpened axe.

Robin looked up to where the noble was perched and slowly withdrew himself from the conversation, taking Lissa with him to speak to the Shepherds. Specifically, their only airbound unit, Sumia. The three huddled together as Robin spoke in a hushed whisper so as not to alert the King and his adviser of what he planned. "Listen, Sumia. It's clear that Maribelle is a hostage in this situation. I don't think she was ever would have crossed the border for any justifiable reason... That said, we've got to get her out of there as soon as we can. She is one of us after all."

"I agree." the rookie Pegasus Knight said. "But how are we going to do that? If I try to fly up there, then I might be in danger... That guard doesn't look like he's just going to hand her over." Robin took a double take at the captive woman. The only way to reach her on foot without the need for flying was a path that was currently behind Gangrel. There would be no possible way for them to go to her aid right this second. As Robin formulated a plan, he heard the negotiations that went on behind him. He did not catch the entirety of the conversation, but he did hear mention of a "Fire Emblem" and Gangrel's intent to spill the blood of innocent lives. It looks like Chrom had correctly pegged the King for a villain after all.

Right in the middle of Robin's thought process, some Plegian fighters appeared to threaten the Exalt's life. A few of them were swiftly cut down by Chrom, but that move had, unfortunately, guaranteed a fight. As much as it pained the tactician to say it, Maribelle's rescue would have to be put on hold for a while until they could figure out what to do. Robin turned back to meet the tearyeyed gaze of Lissa, who couldn't help but stare helplessly as things were taking a rapid fall downhill. By the way things were going, she feared losing her best friend AND family.

Stepping in front of Lissa so that she would face him and not her endangered friend, Robin held Lissa's right hand in his. "Don't worry, Lissa. I promise you I'll find a way to get Maribelle out of this and back to safety. I'd stake my life on it."

By the time Robin turned to rejoin Chrom, the meeting had already ended and Plegian soldiers were swarming the mountains. The Shepherds stood their ground and prepared to defend themselves. As they stood ready for battle, Robin gazed up once more at the cliff where Maribelle is. Or rather, _was. _She was no longer there anymore, and the guard seemed to disappear too. He figured she must have used the ensuing chaos to escape. Even so, it was still dangerous in these parts, and she could easily be captured again. He turned to Sumia and signaled her to ride away from the fight and search for her. The girl took up her lance, mounted her stead, and as the battle began, she took to the skies.

Meanwhile, Maribelle ran breathlessly down the mountainside with fellow Shepherd Ricken, a young and growing Mage. Ricken was originally instructed to stay in Ylisstol and protect the garrison, but instead, he opted to join them, albeit covertly, to prove to Chrom that he wasn't a child anymore. To the boy's credit, he was directly responsible in helping Maribelle escape her captors, and the two ran together, keeping each other safe. Once they reached a far enough spot, the two nobles looked down upon the fight that ensued below. Maribelle's chest ached furiously at what she believed she had caused. If only she had been able to escape her captors sooner, this wouldn't be happening, and Lissa wouldn't be in such danger.

"All this bloodshed... All this dreadful fighting... I cannot believe this is happening. Never once had I dreamed that I would be the one to put my dear Lissa in such a situation..." she mumbled. She felt even worse when she saw some of her fellow Shepherds sustain some injuries on the field of battle. She would never forgive heself if someone had died. She wanted to look away, and yet she couldn't. She absolutely had to make sure that not only Lissa was safe, but the others who she gladly served with.

A large shadow soon appeared overtop of the two nobles and upon looking up, Maribelle noticed it was Sumia riding on a Pegasus. A sight that she never thought she would bare witness to. She almost couldn't believe it. "...Sumia? Is that you?" she asked in utter disbelief. The rookie knight nodded and smiled warmly at the safety of her two friends. "We can talk about it later, Maribelle, for now, you and Ricken had better climb on and hold on tight!" Sparing no more words, Ricken and Maribelle mounted the Pegasus and the three took off heading towards the fight.

Down below, the Shepherds fought their hardest. The Plegian numbers were dwindling and they all had the upper hand, if only they could just sustain their defense for a bit longer. A bulk of the enemy force was concentrated on Chrom and Robin of all people. The two had a reputation growing as of late, specifically, how Robin was quite the apt strategist. In light of this, many Plegians were persuaded a hefty amount of gold for their heads. They certainly were stubborn of nothing else, as most of their army had come for those two rather than the Shepherds themselves.

The two stood back to back as the last few enemies stood before them. One particular soldier came dangerously close and swiped his axe at Robin's mid section. The tactician winced at the scrape he got from just barely avoiding the strike and retaliated with powerful thunder magic. "Are you alright!?" Chrom called after fending off another enemy. Fighting through the sharp pain, Robin answered back, "It's just a scratch! I'm fine!"

With teamwork and sheer determination, they beat back the onslaught and the surviving Plegian forces withdrew from the mountains, clearly seeing they could not win. Everyone soon gathered together at the central path and helped their friends up wherever they possibly could. Chrom had to apologize to Emmeryn for being so brash and striking the first blow. Now it seems that war was an inevitability. Robin, however was more worried on the safety of Sumia and Maribelle. As luck would have it, Sumia carried her and Ricken to a safe part of the area where they were in no risk of getting attacked. He walked over to greet the noblewoman, but Lissa beat him to it, sprinting ahead of him and throwing her arms around Maribelle, sobbing uncontrollably. The two had a quick exchange of words before they noticed Robin approaching them. The man had his hand at his side for a while, trying to ease the pain from that scratch he received during battle. The scratch was not even that big, but it hurt so much... And for some reason, he seemed short of breath.

When Maribelle saw Robin once again, she couldn't help but lower her mood, though only slighty. "Oh, it's you. The new one." she said. Unlike their last encounter, she wasn't as hostile, which sounded pleasant to the tactician's ears. It shows that she was beginning to warm up to him. "Hello. I understand that you're not particularly fond of me... But please understand that I really am glad to see that you're okay and unharmed. It's a large weight off my shoulders." He gave a warm smile as he spoke, though afterwards it faded soon as he was struck with a sudden onset of fatigue. Again, nothing he looked too deep into. It was most likely due to the stress of fighting so many enemies in such a short time. He would get used to it if more battles were to come. On a brighter note, his wound stopped hurting.

Lissa nudged her friend with her elbow and giggled. "You know, just before we started fighting, Robin said he was going to bring you back even if he had to risk his life in the process! In fact, he was the one that told Sumia to find you so that you could be moved to a safer spot. I don't know about you, but I'd say he's a hero worthy of your attention, don't you think?" she chirped with a playful wink.

Loath as she was to admit it, Maribelle did owe her life to him. Once again he proved that he could devise strategies in battle, and he could hold his own against a small army if need be. That still didn't change the fact that he was just a commoner in the grand scheme of things, as cold as it may have sounded. Regardless, Lissa was right, he had proven that he could walk alongside her as a member of the Shepherds now. Maybe they would one day even sit down to tea if she felt charitable enough. Rolling her eyes and sighing, Maribelle stood with dignity as she faced him. "Well, if you must know, it's not that I dislike you. It was just that I was very worried about Lissa when she arrived, and I can be a bit... emotional when I worry. In any case, I apologize for being so discourteous to you. Also, you do have my genuine gratitude for rescuing me." she said.

She waited for a response from Robin, but he seemed to be dealing with another problem at the moment. He had a look of discomfort on his face, and his skin palor was slowly turning white. "Excuse me, Robin, was it? You look unwell... Were you injured during your fight...?" she asked. Robin couldn't help but fall to his left knee shortly after. His started feeling cold and sweat was dripping from his forehead. "S-Suddenly... I don't feel so well..." he murmured. His vision began to blur and before he could say another word, he passed out onto the mountain floor. Just seeing Robin tumble down like that sent Lissa and Maribelle into a panic. The latter knelt down next to his body and turned him around. She could see his hand still covering his side, and when she removed his hand from it's spot, a large amount of blood stained his shirt. His injury was much worse than he could have thought. Initially shocked at the way he had not even gotten taken care of after the fight, Maribelle instructed Lissa to get her a staff so she could tend to his wound before he lost too much blood.

Despite Maribelle's habit of trying to keep clean in any particular situation, she pressed her gloved hands against the wound to stop the bleeding with the pressure. For the most part, it helped to reduce any heavy blood loss, and she could easily save him if Lissa brought back a staff on time. While she held her hands in place, Maribelle just couldn't believe how someone would fight, and be injured like this for a person they barely know?

_'Lissa said he would risk his own life, if it meant saving mine... I never would have thought you meant what you said...'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Palace Ylisstol: Shepherd's barracks_

"Is he going to be alright...?" asked the worried voice of Lissa. She and her brother were worried had been deeply concerned for the safety of their friend since the battle at the Ylisse/Plegia border. Most of the Shepherds, depiste their injuries were more or less alright and back on their feet. Robin however, never having fought a battle before joining up with the Shepherds, was still a bit lacking in bodily endurance. After his collapse, he had to be carried back to the Palace, being taken care of by Maribelle of all people along the way. She didn't tell anyone, but the truth was she felt terribly guilty at what had happened. Ever since her rescue and subsequent return to Ylisse, she secretly wondered if he would have put himself in such danger if she hadn't associated herself with him in the first place.

At the very least, with the help of her Mend Staff, the noblewoman was able to treat his wounds easily before he was in any life-threatening danger. For now, he only needed rest to recover. Chrom had no objections on the matter. He was well aware that he had been pushing Robin as of late. Sometimes he had to step back and remind himself that even if he was an excellent strategist, he was still a person just like everyone else. More importantly though, he was a friend he could rely on, as evidenced by their teamwork in their last battle. Fortunately since then, Plegia had not been showing any activity in the country for a while, so the prince would just let his friend rest easy for the time being.

The noblewoman placed her right hand over the sleeping tactician's forehead. His tempurature had risen properly; He was no longer cold from suffering anemia, and his breathing seemed to return to normal. She breathed easy, taking solace in the knowledge that Robin's selflessness hadn't cost him his life, yet she was still jarred by the very thought of him nearly getting killed for her sake. Her opinion of him had changed drastically over the past few days. From just brushing him off to barely a casual conversation, she now couldn't help but feel grateful to him. Not simply for rescuing her but also for keeping the Shepherds on a path to steady victory against their neighboring rivals. In light of this, she forced herself to look passed his commoner visage and focus more on the person he was inside. Perhaps they may one day become friends. After all, this was how Lissa became acquainted with her in their childhood, and she had become a lifelong friend for her ability to look past her status and reach out to the person inside. She was also tying to break her old noble habits of associating with commoners anyway. The Shepherds were all equal to each other, and it would ill behoove her to hold onto her pride if she would serve in their name.

After some silence on Maribelle's part, she turned to her friends and only spared them a simple nod. The siblings looked at each other, not sure how to take the nonchalant answer, but if a woman who was as skilled as her in healing said someone was going to be okay, it wasn't in their station to argue. Even so, they opted to stay and keep an eye on him, just to make sure he would have a friendly face to greet when he recovered. However, Maribelle was against this decision for now, "I understand how you two must feel, but know that he needs rest, and I cannot say for how long. I'll stay and accompany him through his recovery. You two have more important things to discuss in the meantime."

Chrom curled his lips inward as he thought about Maribelle' response. Robin was alright in her hands, and he did have to do some contemplation on what will happen between Ylisse and Plegia going forward. "You're right. In that case, I'm trusting you to keep a good eye on him. And please have him report back to me when he wakes up. I want to speak with him about our current situation."

"I'll see to it, milord. Now please, go and tend to your important business."

The prince and noble bowed respectfully to one another and Chrom left his friend in the care of Maribelle. Lissa briefly thought about staying to help, but decided against it and followed Chrom. She was a royal too, and being a part of the Shepherds, she had to know about what was going to happen as early as possible. Maribelle turned her attention back to the resting tactician and waited patiently for him to awaken.

* * *

_Later That Evening_

The halls of the palace had grown quiet and only the sound of crickets chirping in the night could be heard. Everyone had all dispersed into different areas of the palace, but true to her word, Maribelle stayed right where she was, watching over Robin. With nothing much else to do, she turned to the bookshelf for entertainment. She rose from her seat next to Robin and quietly walked over to the bookshelf. The selection of literature paled in comparison to what the library in the palace had to offer, but some books spread throughout the paltry collection were enough to indulge her for an hour or so. Anything to keep her from falling asleep. She went for the book that dealt with political intrigue the impact it has on the classes of society. Needless to say, it was quite the complicated read, one that would have any other person raise an eyebrow on what a sort of book like that was even doing in someplace such as an army's barracks.

Regardless of the odd convenience, Maribelle gladly walked back to her seat and unfurled the pages of the book. She spent the better part of a half-hour skimming through the pages. Not fully reading it, but rather taking a paragraph or so. When she had a more comfortable spot to read, she would probably read it properly. She wanted to obtain as much knowledge as she could on the subject, as she aspired to one day be a magistrate and help in the influence the law has on separate social statuses of society.

She was slowly becoming obsored in the texts that she read, until she noticed the sound of stirring fabric. She raised her head from her book and saw Robin slowly rising up from his short-lived comatose state. A meager smile curled at her lips when she saw him alive and well. Just seeing him awaken completely safe put her heart at rest from the heavy pangs of guilt she had been speared with ever since his injury. Closing the book and resting it on her lap, she waited for Robin to gather his senses.

The revived strategist placed his hand over his forehead that throbbed a bit. He winced at the aching he had in his stomach. His eyes slowly opened, made easier by the fact that it was night time, so the rays of the sun would not have bled through the open windows. Blinking his blurred vision back into clarity, Robin looked around and was immediately familiar with his location, though he was quite confused as to HOW it was he got here. His eyes scanned around for anyone nearby. At first, he saw no one, but after inspected the corner of the room, he noticed Maribelle was there. The only one there, actually. She sat calmly, almost as if she expected him to wake up in here. Robin couldn't help but think if she had been watching after him the whole time. He expected someone of the likes of Lissa to be the first to greet him. But, princess or not, he was glad that Maribelle was indeed safe from the horrible ordeal she endured. Never mind his own grievous would that rendered him unconscious, just as long as she made it out alive.

"Well, you certainly took your sweet time regaining consciousness, didn't you?" Maribelle said, sarcastically. Robin absently ran a hand through his silvery-white hair and flopped back down on the bed of crates he had been resting on the entire time, and sighed deeply. "I could swear I was all but gone from this world after collapsing... Honestly, I never expected such a small wound to be a large problem." he said. He reached for the area where his wound was and it still did hurt. He reached under his shirt to feel for himself and his hand rubbed against soft bandages expertly wrapped around his torso.

Maribelle once again rose from her seat and walked over to Robin. She gently removed his hand from his wound and placed it at his side. "You really shouldn't aggravate that nasty cut. There is only so much a staff can do, so I had to dress what remained with some bandages. You should be fully healed within the week, provided you don't do anything strenuous." she said softly. Robin was very surprised at Maribelle's new approach to him. She was much calmer than when they met, and the way she gently held his hand showed no negativity. It seems she was grateful indeed for his assistance. But, above all that, what really surprised him was that from the way she spoke, it sounded like she was the one who aided him in his time of need.

"I was watching from the mountain side when Sumia rescued me and young Ricken. I saw you fighting with Lord Chrom quite bravely... even when you were injured..." she said, her voice trailing off. "I suspect that the wound began as a mere scratch, but it opened even wider do to your fighting. The blood loss caused you to collapse and Lissa and I feared the worst..." The tactician looked into her eyes and saw how she seemed quite sullen when she spoke. Her grip seemed to tighten a little around his hand; she must have feared for his life when he passed out. "Well, thank you ver much Maribelle. I'm sorry if I worried you so. But, if I may ask, why do you look as if you hold responsibility for my injury?" Robin asked.

"Because I... I felt guilty at having been the reason those Plegian scoundrels attacked you all... I was captured by them and put you all in danger." she responded. "I'm sorry."

Robin sat up straight and stood up from his 'bed'. He straightened his coat out and addressed the noblewoman. "You don't have to apologize for anything, Maribelle. Those Plegians were the ones who caused this wound, not you. Please, don't dwell on this any longer, no one harbors any negative feelings for you. Least of all me."

Maribelle looked into Robin's eyes. He seemed quite honest with her. She was thankful that he would not hold this incident against her. She had been mentally chastised herself enough that she didn't need anyone else telling her it was her own fault their new tactician was killed. "Do you really mean that, Robin? You're not upset with me?" she asked.

"Of course not." he responded with a gentle smile. "In fact, I owe you my life for helping me recover. I can't be mad at someone like that." Maribelle returned his smile. She felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She was worried that if she said how she felt, Robin would probably think she was right and refuse to speak with her. It was odd though, why did she even care about why he would or wouldn't speak with her anyway? She never expected him to speak with her when they met and could care less. Yet, for some reason, it was nice knowing that he would still view her as a good person. She couldn't help but feel flattered and blushed at the way he said his last sentence. It was funny how forgiving he was to someone he barely even knew. She almost wanted to laugh a bit from her relief, but she remembered she had a message to deliver.

"Oh, Robin, I nearly forgot!" she said. "Chrom asked you to see him so you two can discuss matters about the future regarding Plegia. I believe he is in the courtyard, last I heard. You'd best be off now." shewalked behind him and gave him a gentle nudge to the exit of the barracks, a gesture that Robin took nicely and let out a small chuckle at her sudden change of attitude. Thanking her for relaying Chrom's message, he headed out of the Shepherds garrison to meet with his captain. Just as he walked out, Maribelle called to him, "Oh! And remember: Don't do anything strenuous for a while!"

* * *

_Palace Interior 45 minutes Later._

What began as a quiet and peaceful night soon erupted into a full-fledged brawl within the halls and courtyards of Palace Yllistol. From what was heard by many Shepherds, and Robin himself, this was some sort of an assassination mission to eliminate the Exalt. The attackers did not wear any armor or used weapons that the Plegian army normally had on their units, but this could very easily have been a group hired for the act. Indeed, Plegia was not a stranger when it came to instigating war, so this seemed quite plausable.

The surprise attack was not the only shocking even to happen this evening: Chrom and Robin were witnesses to know that the young man, Marth, that they met in the woods after finding Robin was actually a woman in disguise. Chrom was quite surprised at the revelation, however, Robin remained unfazed by this, as he had paid close attention to her since they met in the woods, to the battle at Arena Ferox, to when she showed up in the courtyard. Subtle hints like her feminine voice, or the way she walked were dead giveaways. He even shared her sentiment when she said how she was surprised Chrom didn't figure it out until her mask was cut off by a rogue assassin.

Since Marth's reappearance, she claimed to be able to tell that Emmeryn would be killed tonight by a band of rogues, and as her word would have it, she was right. Ever since she protected Chrom, she had been assisting the Shepherds as well. Along with the help of another person by the name of Panne, and a turncoat thief named Gaius, the army was fighting back this mysterious force. While the brunt of the Shepherd's forces took on the oposing army, Marth stayed behind to guard Emmeryn.

Robin fought fiercely alongside his comrades and directed them effortlessly while pushing back the opposition. Eventually, he was able to make his way outside of the palace walls and into the courtyard, where the commander of these fiends stood. The man had an aura of forboding about him, just being near him, Robin felt uneasy, but he stood his ground alone. Chrom was not with him and the others were still taking care of the stragglers inside. Once the tactician came face-to-face with the man, his expression confused Robin. He was smiling. A devilish, evil smile that made his blood chill at the sight of it. He dared not speak to him, only to rid his presence, yet the man spoke anyway.

"Fortune smiles upon me tonight, indeed!" the man hissed. "I've been searching far and wide to find you, boy. Once the Emblem and Exalt's life both belong to me, I'll have all that I need!" His nonsense concerned Robin quite a lot: He seems to know who he was... Could he possibly know his past as well? Even if he wanted to ask, the man quickly held a dark tome and readied an attack. Acting quickly, Robin revealed a tome of his own, and a battle of spells between the two soon ensued.

Within the palace walls, the fighting had all but been resolved. Blood stained the walls and floors of the interior and everyone was fatigued from the constant action. Not only had they fought a battle earlier today, and had to trek back home, but also fought yet another battle, all without rest. Chrom was set to thank Marth for her assistance, but noticed that one person was still missing.

"Has anyone seen Robin around? I was sure he was with us during the battle." the prince spoke. Everyone looked from one side to the other to find their lost strategist, but none could see where he was. Chrom grew increasingly worried over his welfare. He really shouldn't have been fighting right now, yet he insisted on staying. Even Maribelle had told him to back down this time, yet he was stubborn and took up arms just like everyone else. He feared that if Robin was alone out there with such injuries still healing, the worse may come to pass. While everyone continued looking for him inside the palace, Chrom took the opposite direction and went to look outside. Just as he was leaving, he heard the hurried steps of another behind him. Turning around to see who it was, it just so happened to be Maribelle. "Maribelle, you should stay inside with the others, if Robin is still out there, then enemies may still be lurking."

"And if he is indeed out there, milord, then he may very well be hurt. Even moreso than he is now. I'll not have his blood on my hands for letting him go out there in battle so easily! Please, allow me to accompany you, if nothing else, then to calm my own anxiety." she insisted. Chrom could tell that she was dead set on joining him. She was about as stubborn as his friend, and if worse did come to worse, she did have a staff that she could use again just in case. "Alright. But stay behind me." he said.

The noble and prince then exited the palace and ran to the courtyards. They entered the training grounds, where the rogues were supposedly spotted coming in from. Once they reached their destination, they did indeed find what they were looking for, but were horrified at what they saw: Robin was severely wounded, and on his knees, sword in the dirt and tome tossed to the side. The sorcerer that stood before him cackled as he beheld his victory. "Fool! Challenging me while sustaining injuries like that. You couldn't hope to possibly win, not against your own-"

"Step away from him, and leave, or I swear I will cut you down where you stand!" Chrom interrupted, holding Falchion offensively at the man that stood before him. His opponent forced Chrom's hand by moving even closer to Robin, and clutching him by his neck. "Begone, prince. I have no business with you... but I will take the boy and Emblem and leave, if you so wish me gone." he chuckled.

Chrom quickly charged at him, an act that caught the sorcerer off guard. He had hoped taking the prince's friend hostage would give him the upper hand. With one swift strike, Chrom slashed at him, and knocked him away from Robin. The wound he inflicted was fatal, and would all but insure death. As he lay on the grass, choking on his own blood, he looked to the full-moon and reached up, as if he meant to take hold of it. "B-But... this is all... wrong..." he muttered before dying seconds later.

Maribelle and Chrom then came to Robin's aid. He was injured quite badly from the previous battle. His injuries appeared as small cuts across his body. Not enough to warrant bleeding, but certainly painful enough to incapacitate him. As Maribelle prepared her staff, Chrom aided the tactician to his feet. "What happened here, Robin? Why didn't you seek assistance before fighting someone like that alone?" he asked. His tone was concered, but also scolding.

"I'm sorry. I was trying to finish off the rest of the enemy while you all secured Emmeryn. It was foolish of me to go it alone, especially with this wound..." Robin responded.

After Maribelle used her staff to heal most of his wounds, she gave him a swat with the end of it on his head. "I should say so! You nearly made my heart stop, you brute!" she yelled. "I hope you don't intend to do something so foolish this frequently! If so, you must be daft if you think I'm going to be around every corner waiting to stitch you back together at beck and call!"

Robin's already bruised body sank even lower at his equally bruised ego. But she was right; As the team's tactician, he couldn't afford to make mistakes like this. For now, he was lucky. Had Chrom and Maribelle not been there to rescue him, then it could have turned out much worse than simple cuts and bruises. "I understand..." he said. "I'll be careful, I promise. And, I'll be sure to have a partner in battle whenever possible."

"That's right." Chrom chimed in. "Keep in mind that you may be our tactician, but you're also a valuable friend. War is a terrible thing, Robin, and the last thing we'd ever want is to lose our loved ones."

Robin looked up to Chrom and smiled, thankful for the kind words, but also glad to hear that Chrom didn't treat him like a pawn, but a genuine friend. "I will be more careful from now on. I swear it. And thank you both for helping me."

"There's no need for thanks, as a true friend, I'll always be there to help you. Now, you should probably get your wounds checked and make sure they've healed properly."

* * *

Everyone had retired to the Shepherds' baracks for the night to have their equipment put away and to get some rest. Robin was back sitting on a crate, just as he was a while ago, with Maribelle redressing his wounds. She was a bit rough about it though, as if she were aggrivated by him somehow. Sensing his discomfort Maribelle slowed down and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry... As I said before, I can get emotional when I'm worried." she said. Robin turned his head to look at her. "Worried? You weren't worried about me, were you?" he asked.

"Why would you even need to ask such a question? Of course I was worried about you. I had no idea of you had died out there or..." Her voice trailed off. "Look, my point is, that I just don't want anything to happen to you. You understand, right?"

"Actually, I don't really understand why you're so concerned about my well being Maribelle... Lissa has seen me get hurt plenty of times, yet she doesn't become so emotional... but why you?"

Maribelle's face began to redden a bit at the question. "It's simply because you're a close friend to Lissa. As I've told you before,, Lissa is my dearest reasure, and I would do anything to keep her happy. So, if keeping you alive and well give Lissa joy, then so be it."

"I see." Robin was a bit confused. Was Maribelle really telling the truth about her motivations, or was she trying to use Lissa as a scapegoat for something else? Either way, he didn't want to pry on it. She was already upset with him as it was. Once she had applied the bandege and fastened it tightly, he rose fromhis seat and drapped his coat over his shoulders. "Thanks again, Maribelle. You really can be quite nice when you mean to be." he said, with a soft smile.

"Right, well, thank you for the compliment." she responded, clearing her throat a bit. "And once again, please be careful: If that wound opens up again, don't expect me to help you."

* * *

**A/N: Quick question to anyone who played Fire Emblem Awakening, and watch the new My Litle Pony show. When you read Maribelle's lines, what does she sound like to you? In my head, she sounds like Rarity. :/**

**And now I bet you all are going to hear Rarity the next time you play the game! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_Eastern Ylisse: Highroads_

After the assassination attempt on Emmeryn's life the previous night, the royal family gathered together in consideration for what should be the next course of action. It was possible that this was some sort of contracted band to take the Fire Emblem and deliver it to Gangrel. The man even said so himself that he wished nothing more than for all Ylisseans dead and buried and for the Fire Emblem to be his. It all made such perfect sense that he would have his will be done covertly if he would not be handed what he so desperately wanted.

The answer was clear: Should Emmeryn continue to stay in the palace, the attacks would never stop, and eventually, she would be slain. Already their defenses could be breached, and it was only by chance the Shepherds happened to be in the area to fend off the attack. That, and of course the word from Marth that helped as well. However, should a time come that Chrom's army was not by his side, the worst would surely happen to his dear older sister. Not wanting to risk her life any longer, the prince insisted that she be taken out of Ylisse, temporarily. Despite the good judgement on Chrom's end, Emmeryn refused to leave her people in their greatest hour of need, but Chrom continued to insist. More than anything, he just wanted her safe, and if he had to, he would throw away his own life for hers.

Seeing as how Emmeryn would not win this discussion, she reluctantly decided that it was truly for the best. The people were important to her, yes, but what good would that do if she were killed due to her own selflessness? As cold as it sounded, and as much as the very thought left a chill in her blood, she had to leave her country behind for a short while. There was simply no other way around it. And even if there was, Chrom certainly wasn't going to let her take any other route that his own. He just couldn't stand the thought of losing more family.

After their long debate, the Exalt and her brother's army headed due east to the coast of Ylisse so she could be safe within the eastern palace. the monks and sages would surely be enough to keep her safe within its walls. They marched briskly away from Ylisstol on their journey. If they kept at this pace, they should be there by tomorrow afternoon.

Along the roads they walked, Maribelle and Lissa talked among themselves of many different topics. No matter where they went though, they seemed to revert right back to Lissa's paranoid fear of losing Emmeryn to the Plegian army. The noblewoman did her best to console her dear friend. After all they had been through in the past few days, it was hard to not think about the possible outcome, however, if there was anything that Lissa did count on it was Robin's ability to pull off the impossible with little effort.

She almost idolized him with the way she spoke so highly of his skills. Maribelle couldn't help but roll her eyes. Whenever Robin came up, Lissa would talk hours on end about how "cool" he looked when he would fight against the enemy, or his "awesome" tactical skills. Though, one detail did intrigue her; In all the times that Lissa gushed about him, this was the first time that she heard her mentioning he had amnesia when they found him. Until now, she thought that the small group Chrom had with him simply found the man by choice. He joined around the time the attacks began to worsen, and thought Chrom was hiring a strategist to improve the Shepherds' ability in battle. Yet, here she was, completely awestruck by the fact that they found him by utter chance, without memory. In fact, Lissa stated he had a hard time remembering his name the moment they first met.

The noble couldn't believe she never even bothered to ask of his origins and how he even joined the army. Now that she knew a little more about him, she couldn't help but find the man interesting herself. One who cannot remember their past, yet is a master at crafting strategies at will. More and more did the need to converse with him arose in her. She turned her head to see the tactician in question with his nose buried in a book. Yet another thing that astounded her; The fact that he was _reading! _Granted, no tactician worth his or her salt could ever be as skilled as he was without cracking open at least one book. But it didn't seem like a guide on strategy, but rather a normal novel that anyone would read in leisure.

"Hey, Maribelle. You listening?" Lissa, asked, tapping on her friend's shoulder. The noble snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Lissa. "Oh, my apologies, Lissa. What was it that you were saying?" A mischievous smile slowly crept across the small princesses face and her eyes narrowed accusingly. She noticed Maribelle had been staring directly at Robin for the past few minutes. It was obvious to her that she really wanted to speak with him. "You know, if you wanna talk to Robin, you only had to say so~." she teased.

"Oh Lissa, don't be ridiculous. I much rather stay here and continue with... whatever it was you were talking about." she responded. In truth, she had completely forgotten what it was that Lissa was speaking about when her attention turned away.

"I was talking about Robin..." Lissa shot back, her smirk never fading, resulting in a defeated sigh from Maribelle. "Look, you've had your eyes on the guy the whole time I've been talking. It's obvious you want to talk to him. Go on! Don't be shy!" Before Maribelle could defend herself, Lissa got behind her and forcefully shoved her towards Robin's direction. The noblewoman tried to restrict her advance, making her boot heels dig into the dirt trying to stop herself from moving. Astoundingly, Lissa was much stronger than her appearance let on, as she was able to steadily push Maribelle just a few feet away from Robin. Already being this up close, and being positive that he had probably noticed her, Maribelle struggled no more and approached the tactician willingly.

Contrary to what she had thought, Robin hadn't noticed her in the slightest. Whenever he began reading a book, he was unaware of little else around him. In that respect, people would compare him to Miriel, as the articulate Mage had the same habit. He was far too ingrossed in the novel that he was currently reading.

_"...and so, the battle between Wyverns lasted from the chaotic dawn to the somber, crepuscule evening, thus the bloody war had finally been won." _he recited aloud. "Crepuscule... Crepuscule... What did that mean again...?" he thought, raising his eyebrow at the uncommon word. Maribelle briefly looked behind her to see if Lissa was still there. As fate would have it, she wasn't. She had gone back to marching with her brother, but looked over her shoulder at the noblewoman. Lissa shook her head at how utterly helpless Maribelle was, all she did was walk just behind Robin, not saying a peep. Lissa shrugged her shoulders and mouthed silently to her, _'Talk to him!' _

Seeing no other option, Maribelle cleared her throat and spoke with confidence, "Good day, Robin. Are you perhaps studying?" she asked. The silver-haired tactician lifted his head from his book to meet Maribelle's gaze.

"Oh, good day to you too, Maribelle. I'm just doing of reading. Nothing tactical based, mind you. Just finishing up the final chapters of this novel." he happily responded.

"Reading? How splendid, I wasn't aware that commoners even read at all. I must say, I find it quite interesting." Robin couldn't tell if he should be offended or flattered by her statement. She was an odd woman to read sometimes. One moment she would come off as kind and sociable, yet the very next second, she would say or do something that would put her off to some people. No one knew this better than Robin in the past week, what with the intensifying battles that continued, she would act as if she was worried for his very life, then chastise him on his foolish behavior the very next second.

Rolling his eyes at the comment Maribelle made, Robin briefly considered going back to his book, glancing back at the pages to find his place. "So then, have you come to look down your nose at me, or was there something you needed?" he asked, albeit a bit coldly. He really did not want to deal with her condescending air of superiority, especially not this early in the morning...

_'No, no, no! Not like that!' _Maribelle thought. _'You're losing him, Maribelle! Think, blast it... Sociable... Be sociable...'_

"Oh, silly, Robin. A noble's nose takes no part in such activities! Make no mistake, I was genuinely impressed. However, if my phrasing offended you in any way, I do apologize. Forgive me?"

The surprised tactician looked over his shoulder at Maribelle. Out of all the times she's ever said anything negative to or about him, this was the first time she actually apologized. Perhaphs she wasn't as heartless as she lead on. "Well, all right. If you really are sorry then I retract my last statement. So, was there anything you wanted to speak with me about, then?"

The noblewoman breathed easy, having redeemed herself for the moment. It was hard to tell with her calm face, but she was struggling to try and speak with Robin on matters that didn't involve warfare or healing wounds. She was stepping out of her comfort zone to speak with someone who wasn't a friend of hers. She already had a rough time speaking with the other Shepherds... if Speaking were supplemented with the word 'criticizing' that of this, making friends was still very hard for her to do, despite having spoken with Lissa for so many years. She desperately wanted to break free of her noble patterns if only to relate with people of a lower class.

"Actually, there is. You see, I was hoping that you would be so kind as to tell me more about yourself?" she asked. Robin scratched the back of his head in curiosity. He wasn't sure if she was aware of his amnesia or not. "Well, I would, but there really sin't much that I can tell you." he responded. "I don't remember my past at all. You speak with Lissa a lot, yes? Surely she's mentioned my amnesia. On top of that, what I DO know doesn't seem all that interesting."

Maribelle then moved from behind Robin to just next to him. "I highly doubt that, Robin." she said. "Frankly, you sell yourself too short. In the brief span of time that I have known you, you interest me quite a fair bit."

"I... Interest you?"

"Absolutely. Don't you find it interesting that you happen to be an amnesiac, yet you have unparalleled genius in tactical warfare? Coupled with that, you seemed to have earned the trust of my dear friend Lissa, as well. Can you fault me for wanting to know more about you?"

"Well, when you put it in that perspective... I suppose no one would blame you. Honestly, I never had a second thought about just how I manage to have this knowledge. I must have studied it somewhere, as I still retain my common sense and education. It seems that my memories are the only thing I lack right now."

"My point exactly. But it goes beyond mere interest. I suppose if I were to put it bluntly, you could say that I wish to become... friends? Of course, I'll not go any further without your consent."

Finally having caught his attention, Robin placed the book he had within his coat pocket. "Is that all? Well, it's not that I don't consent about us becoming friends or anything, Maribelle, but... I thought that we were already friends. Sure, maybe we've had a bump or two getting to that point, but I'm glad to say that we're companions." he said, smiling. When she wasn't chewing his ear off, she really could be a very nice person. If only she would show more of that honesty.

"Oh, how wonderful it is to hear you say that, Robin. Truly. Then, if you would be so kind as to answer a few questions for me?"

"Of course. Just ask away and I'll try to answer to the best of my ability."

With Robin's willingness to speak with her, and the subsequent confirmation of their friendship, Maribelle felt relieved. She was aware of her off-putting tendancies, and wanted to make sure that Robin of all people would be able to tolerate it. This was a good first step for her, and she hoped to continue this way to reach out to her peers.

"Well then, please tell me of the lifestyle of the common folk that you obviously hail from." she asked. "Specifically, I wish to know more about this 'slang' that you all dabble in. It is quite the far cry of the more refined speech that us nobles are familiar with."

The request made Robin stop and think for a moment. Why would she want to speak like the people she sometimes looked down upon? "Er... That's a bit of an odd request. May I ask why?"

"Ah, certainly. You see, Robin, as of late, I've been noticing that my formality can be seen as a nuisance to my peers in the Shepherds. It is true that I do have company from time to time, but I can't help but feel that there is always a bit of a gap between me and nearly everyone else. Excluding Lord Chrom and Lissa, I've no other to speak casually with... Well, that is, until you became part of our group."

Robin bit down softly on his lower lip when Maribelle imparted her motivations to him. He didn't expect such a melancholy response. This wasn't simply to just learn to speak like the others. She was just lonely, plain and simple. It was no wonder she was able to quickly attach to Lissa and himself, neither of which cared about status in other people. To Lissa and Robin, everyone in the Shepherds was an equal, regardless of social class. After thinking it over, he turned to her, "I see. Well then, Maribelle, if that's how you really feel then I'll gladly help you. After all, that's what friends do for each other, right?" he said, smiling gently.

Maribelle's eyes slowly looked to the ground, and her glum expression slowly changed to a more positive one. A small smile found its way to her face, and though Robin couldn't see it with her swirling pigtails confounding them, her cheeks began to blush into a soft pink. It felt a little embarrassing how Robin was so gung-ho to help her that she simply couldn't help it. Embarrassed, and yet, very happy that she was on her way to finally being able to have companionship in her life beyond one single person. Lissa did mean everything to her, but what about other people? She doubted she could go her entire life just relying on one friend. Her mind didn't stop there either. What about love? At some point she did hope to find a man to keep her happy in life. That very thought only served to deepen her blush even further.

With a small giggle to herself, Maribelle spoke, still looking to the dirt road, "Hm, friends. It feels very nice to say that. Well then, suppose I'll visit you later for those 'slang' lessons. I'm sure you have other things to do than speak with me at the moment. Strategies to plan, and all that. I'll just be off then." The noble then took her leave, walking her way back to Lissa, who was still in the company of her brother. Lissa wasn't watching the conversation they had, so she knowingly nudged Maribelle with her elbow as if to ask how it went. Her only response was a nod and a wink, confirming that her friend had indeed been able to break the ice with their new found companion. The young princess pulled Maribelle off to the side, just out of earshot from Chrom so she could speak with her.

"So, Miss Maribelle, what are you gonna do now? Are you and Robin gonna be close friends and maybe start dating? " she teased. Maribelle only shook her head at the thought of such a thing. "I... don't think so, Lissa. Robin is a very nice man but... Well, a woman of my breeding cannot hope to be with a man who has nothing to his name. He's very sweet, but I believe I'll save myself for someone more... high class..." she responded. Although, when she said that, she felt a small bite of pain in her chest. She couldn't explain it, but her mood shifted back into a glum state.

She had no idea why she was feeling the way she was either. It was as if she felt guilty for following what she had grown up believing her entire life. A Noble must find life companionship with another noble: It was pure and simple. Consorting with lower class was not exactly forbidden, but some did look down upon it, thinking that it was a disgrace to a family's name. She knew this in the very deepest parts of her mind, yet actually saying it out loud like she did made her feel as if she was betraying herself. and she couldn't understand just why that was. All she could do was press her hand over her heart to futile ease the small but noticeable pain she felt.

_'Why? Why must I feel as if I've done something wrong...?" _

* * *

**A/N: Phew. Apologies for the lack of updates last week folks. See I've been busy with work and... Oh screw it. I've been playing the newest Tales of game and completely forgot about the update scheduled, alright? That aside, I'm going to try and make an extra chapter to make up for it. **

**Sorry for the delay, and I thank you all for your patience and support. This story is actually getting pretty popular in it's early stages. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Regna Ferox: Western Fort._

The brittle snow crunched audibly beneath Robin's feet for every step he took. He walked slowly through the biting cold, carrying Lissa in his arms. The poor girl had all but fainted when she heard news of Emmeryn's planned public execution tomorrow. All the shaking and calling for her in the world wasn't enough to rouse her from her state. The pained expression on her face cut Chrom and Robin deep. The latter tried to keep a brave face in front of the others, being the head of the army, but the pure, uncensored terror Lissa showed was radiating unto them.

"Tomorrow on the noon... I honestly cannot believe the small window of time we have. Gangrel truly does wish to end all Ylissean lives." Chrom thought aloud as he walked alongside his friend.

"I know... I'm trying to think of something we could do, but honestly, I'm in a very tight spot here, Chrom." Robin responded. As they walked back to the Feroxi barrocks, Lissa began to stir from her slumber. Her face still bared the same expression as her eyes fluttered open. Her normally shining gray irises seemed to dull, almost as if her spark of life was drained from her, yet again, causing a surge of fear in Robin's chest.

"Robin..." she said, looking passed his face, instead focusing her gaze at the falling snowflakes. "Sis is gonna be okay, right...? You're gonna save her, aren't you?"

Chrom looked upon his younger sister trying not to show his worry. "Lissa, I don't think-"

"Yes, I will." Robin cut in. "Don't worry. I swear I'll think of something to get her out of this mess. Just you watch; this time tomorrow, she'll be back in the palace safe and sound." a false smile stretch across his face to try and look convincing, but he didn't even believe in his own words. It would be a miracle for him to do this... If he even COULD. Thankfully, it seemed that Lissa bought his statement and closed her eyes again. Whether it was because she was simply tired or she found peace in his words, he couldn't tell.

"You don't have to lie to her, you know..." Chrom spoke up. He waited for a response but was only answered with silence for a few moments. It wasn't that Robin didn't want to address his statement, but rather he wanted to find a way to justify his 'lie'.

"Well, I haven't been made a liar yet, and it's better than outright telling her I have no clue what I'm supposed to do right now." Robin said, finally. "Lissa has an unwavering faith in me, Chrom. I feel that if I show her that I'm afraid too... I may disappoint her. The two of you are very close friends to me. It's hard enough that you know I'm not fully sure of my own skills for the task ahead..."

Chrom placed his gloved hand on Robin's shoulder. "Whether you think you can or you can't, you have to remember that strategy is only part of a battle. Don't ever forget that the will to fight is just as important as any tactical move."

The tactician sighed as he took Chrom's words into account. He was right. His strategies were never perfect, and he was not so naive to consider them to be so, but he tends to forget that a strategy is nothing more than marks on parchment unless they were willingly carried out by soldiers, his friends. "You're right. As you usually are. It still goes without saying that I'm still scared of failure just as much as anyone else here..."

"It's only natural to be afraid, Robin. I may not look like it, but I, too as afraid of what will happen if we don't come to Emm's aid. The deciding factor, though, is that we put aside our fears and hope that we make it to her aid tomorrow. I do hope that you'll be ready when the time comes."

Robin couldn't find a suitable way to respond to Chrom. Not even the generic 'I know' sounded like it would be a meaningful answer. He only continued walking as he carried Lissa in his arms.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Shepherds were gathered in the Feroxi barracks waiting for their captain and strategist to return. Everyone felt the tension from the high stakes but despite themselves, they were determined to keep a positive mindset. After all, they have been able to topple soldiers from Ferox twice now, and that was no easy feat. As the army busied themselves with sparring or just relaxing until their departure, a pair of nobles sat across from each other in total silence, waiting for one or the other to say something.

Virion sat still, staring at Maribelle, who's facial features showed some sort of nner conflict she was undergoing at the moment. One would think it was caused by the revelation of Exalt Emmeryn's kidnapping and inevitable execution. Oh, no. It was something that weighed much more on her shoulders. Her brows furrowed as she struggled internally with her next choice of words, all the while, Virion continued to wait for whatever it was she asked to speak with him about.

A strained grunt escaped Maribelle, followed by her dragging her filed nails through her neat pigtails until she raised her head up to meet her fellow nobleman's gaze. With an audible inhale, she sat straight, hands clasped together and prepared to finally convey what she had been tryingto say.

"Virion..." she started. "How's it goin'...?" she asked. Her left eye then began to twitch at the phrase that just left her mouth. Virion shared in the awkward moment of her sentence, though to a less noticeable degree. She wasn't one to speak in such common phrasing. Although the social stigma among nobles demanded refined speech, he cared little for it in the company of friends. However, for _Maribelle _of all people to start speaking like common folk was quite jarring.

"I beg your pardon, milady, but are you not the one noble in all of Ylisse to uphold the noble bearing of refined speech?" he asked.

An embarrased blush crept its way across Maribelle's face as her noble dignity was slowly chipping away. At this point she just wanted to run away and simply disappear, but she refused to simply cut and run. She always stood by her philosophy that once a task was started, it had to be finished. Noble upbringing or not, this was more of a personal motto. Her eyes shifted from the roof of the barracks to the side, though looking nowhere in particular. Rather, trying to remember any other phrases she picked up.

"Oh, lighten up, Virion." she responded. "There's no need to get your smallclothes in a knot." This particular phrase actuallly made her smile to herself as she spoke. As vulgar as it was, she knew Virion took personal pride in his appearance, and taking a stab at it, albeit for experimentation and not genuine hostility, gave her a dark sense of satisfaction in doing so. She pictured it as subtle revenge for his constant womanizing, if nothing else.

Feeling a little embarrassed of her phrasing, Virion adjusted his cravat instinctively after the mention of his undergarments. "Dear me, never have I thought I'd see the day that one such as you would speak in such plain language. And by the looks of it, I'd say you're having quite a time in doing so, no?"

TMaribelle's smile didn't disappear from her face. Instead, her blush from embarrassment seemed to be the thing to go. She was expecting a more brutal verbal thrasing at having thrown dirt and one of the common values of noble interaction. It was nice to see that a fellow noble wasn't chastising her on the way she spoke.

"Is it so obvious?" she asked, giving up the charade. "I apologize for that, Virion, especially if I seemed rude. I was merely conducting a sort of test to see how other would react if I chose to take on a more common approach." she explained.

"Ah, I see. While I can't say I approve the reference of my... smallclothes... I will say that a dedication to try and connect with our fellow companions is a noble one in of itself."

"Truly? Oh, Virion, you have no idea the relief I feel when you put it in such a way. Very well then, I shall continue my endeavors!"

"All well and good, milady, but if I may say one thing? Please keep mention of others' appearances to a bit of a minimum... Specifically, their choice of fashion."

The smirk on Maribelle's face only widened a bit more. "If I must."

The large wooden doors of the building creaked open, with Robin and Chrom walking inside. One of the Shepherds walked over to the two and took Lissa from Robin to find her a proper place to lie down for the moment. As the princess was whisked away, the tactician and prince walked to one of the many tables and sat down to talk strategy of the upcoming rescue mission. Time was of the essence with Emmeryn's execution scheduled tomorrow at noon. It was already an accepted fact that the army would be moving out by the day. The sooner they made it to Plegia the better. Thankfully the Kahns had graciously volunteered to join in this mission, even providing some of their own personal troops to supplement the Shepherds' numbers.

"Gods, just thinking of the impact of our next mission is enough to make the pressure overwhelm me to the point of panicking..." Robin muttered. He rubbed his temples, trying to focus his mind. Chrom sat back and tapped his fingers on the wooden table, patiently waiting for Robin to think of something. His usual "don't think to hard' line seemed rather redundant to say at this point. He'd think hard regardless what anyone said, and it was crucial for him to work his mind to its limits in such a short time. One of the Feroxi soldiers walked to the two, offering large mugs of mead to both, but Robin refused. Alcohol wasn't the wisest beverage to have when he needed to think. Chrom on the other hand, graciously accepted a serving. He needed something to take the edge off, lest he'd end up passed out from the tension alone like Lissa. Keeping a straight face in front of his comrades despite his true emotions was quite tiring.

On the other far end of the barracks, as Maribelle and Virion continued their conversation, the former noticed Chrom and Robin walk into the building It was odd though that Lissa was not with them. She was certain she saw her with the two after she left Khan Flavia's throne room. Excusing herself, Maribelle rose from her seat with Virion and walked over to see her companions. On her approach, she didn't exactly like what she saw: Chrom taking in large sips of alcohol and Robin with his head planted flatly on the table, his arms folded underneath. If not for the obvious severity of the situation, what with Emmeryn's execution at hand, Maribelle would have probably made a joke or to to break the duo out of their doldrums, but decided against it. Any situation where these two didn't look confident was, something to worry about.

"Pardon me, sirs." she started, clearing her throat. "I can see you two are in quite the mood, so I'll not pry, but have you seen Lissa anywhere?"

Robin picked his head up, peeking at Maribelle slightly with one eye, as he hadn't fully risen from his position. Though after being addressed by her, he made to effort to sit up properly. "I believe she may be resting in the bunks. Poor girl passed out after hearing of the Exalt's situation and hasn't awoken since." he stated gloomily.

"I see..." the noblewoman responded. "Well then... It's good to know you're here with us then, Robin."

"How so?"

"Well, why else? Your gifted mind will surely lead us to victory. I've no doubt you'll pull us through this."

The tactician slumped back into his old position after hearing her statement. Chrom somewhat reflected his behavior, but chose not to say a word. "Maribelle... I don't know this time. It just... It doesn't seem like I have the upper hand here right now. We've so little time to do what we must, but I honestly think this may be beyond me..."

Maribelle's lips curled inward as she heard the dread in his voice. It truly seemed like he had met his match this time. Despite that, she refused to let him think this way. The longer he spent moping on the subject, the less time he had to think of a plan.

"I understand the difficult position you are in," she said. "but, you must also understand, that I believe in you."

"But how? How can you be so sure? Even I'm not certain if I can-"

"Robin," she interrupted. "do you remember the day I was captured by Gangrel's men?"

He nodded in response.

"You single handedly managed to lead the Shepherds against an ambush from all sides on dangerous terrain, and saved me from the enemies ranks with minimal casualties and barely broke a sweat over it. Even then, you barely had any idea to find out what happen. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"

Robin's eyes drifted to the floor as he tried to figure out her point. "I'm afraid I don't." he answered, prompting a frustrated sigh from Maribelle.

"Gods, but you can be quite dense sometimes... What I'm trying to say is that Exalt Emmeryn's situation is no different from mine back then. The only difference is that you had a handful of hours to think of something. As of now, you have a day and a half. Do not squander your time over who was taken by whom, focus on what you must down between now and then."

Silence fell between the two for a long moment. The entire time though, Robin thought about what Maribelle said, and she was right. This was something that he had tackled before, and everything turned out just fine. This was no different than before, and just as Maribelle said, he shouldn't be wasting time, worrying about letting Chrom down. He had to saddle up and work his hardest. Slowly, Robin rose from his seat and turned to Maribelle, his glum expression replaced by sheer determination.

"You're right, Maribelle. You're absolutely right. This isn't time for me to sit here and mope, I've still got a job to do." he said. Chrom inwardly agreed with his friend and pushed the glass of mead away from him. Just as it was no time for Robin to sulk, Chrom couldn't afford to drawn his sorrows.

"And me as well." the prince added. "I'm supposed to be the captain of our army. not some drunkard trying to push away the responsibilities that lie before him."

A pleased smile found its way to Maribelle's cheeks as she saw the two completely change before her. "Now that's the team us Shepherds stand behind!" she said. "Use that enthusiasm to find a way to bring Exalt Emmeryn home. In the meantime, I'll check on Lissa and keep her company."

With a nod from the two, Chrom, Robin and Maribelle went their separate ways; The prince and strategist heading to the throne room to talk tactics with the Khans and Maribelle to be at Lissa's side. Just before Robin left the barracks into the cold snowfields of Ferox, he stopped and turned to Maribelle one more time.

"Maribelle, thank you." he said, a smile of gratitude on his face.

"You're very welcome... or, as the common folk say, _'don't mention it'_." she responded, a laugh escaping the two. "In all seriousness, Robin, there is one thing I must tell you: Don't forget that Lissa is like a sister to me, and I'd never wish for any harm to come to her. That being said... promise me you'll bring the Exalt back safely. Whatever happens, please, don't ever make Lissa cry..." she said sternly.

Without hesitation, Robin turned to walk out of the barracks, with his last words to her being, "Don't worry. I promise."

* * *

**A/N: Oh God... How long has it been now? About a month? Yeah, that sounds pretty accurate... Really sorry about the delay, people. I really wanted to get this chapter done, but it was actually pretty hard to write. First, I had writer's block every few paragraphs and kept writing myself into a corner. I had to really think hard about this chapter and where it should go. I know that's not a good excuse for this being so late, but that's my story.**

**If anyone still managed to wait long enough to read this chapter, your patience is very much appreciated.**


End file.
